Becoming Al
by ThisIsSiriuslyMyPenName
Summary: Albus Severus Potter has always been overshadowed by the rest of his family, so when he goes off to Hogwarts, he can finally come into his own. Prelude to Discovering Al. Rated T for future chapters.


Year One

Fear and excitement rushed through Albus as watched Platform 9¾ grow smaller and smaller in the window. He was finally going to Hogwarts, and his dad said he'd be proud of him no matter what house he was sorted into. Nothing can go wrong. Rose sat across from him in the compartment looking out of the window with her eyes wide in excitement, not daring to speak yet in fear that she'd wake up from this wonderful dream. James had seen them to a compartment and but didn't stay to talk as two boys were waving him down to another part of the train. Two other first years were in the compartment with them, Albus presumed by their nervous and excited expressions.

"I wonder what it's like." He spoke finally. "Like, to really be there, learning magic you know?"

"I bet it's wonderful!" Rose finally looked away from the scenery outside the window. "I'm Rose by the way" she spoke to the two strangers.

"Manes" said a tall, tan boy.

"Aric" said the small, white haired boy.

"And I'm Albus. Rose is my cousin."

Aric and Manes looked at each other quickly. "Potter?" Aric asked nervously.

"Yeah." Albus smiled. "And she's Rose Weasley."

Manes looked absolutely enthralled. "I can't wait to tell my mam I sat with a Potter _and_ a Weasley on the train!"

Albus and Rose looked at each other in confusion. They've always been somewhat in the spotlight growing up because of their parents, but all the fuss was usually from reporters and old crazed adults. Neither of them had experienced it first hand. They had been told of what their parents had done, how Harry had defeated the Dark Lord, but neither truly understood it. To Albus, Harry was nothing more than his somewhat embarrassing father.

The four first years tried to make small talk. Albus and Rose told the two about their parents, stressing how completely average they were, no matter how many people knew their names. Manes complained about the long trip to London as he was from Northern Ireland, explaining that it would have been quicker to go straight to Hogwarts than London. Aric told the three that his single muggle mother had raised him before she died when he was five. He had then moved in with the father that he never knew, and learned all about the magical world.

After the trolley came, the four had stocked up on all the sweets they could afford. Talk then turned to the sorting. "I heard it really hurts…" Aric worried.

"Oh, that's rubbish." Rose laughed. "You get put into your houses by the Sorting Hat. You just have to put it on, and it'll tell you which house you'll do best in!"

Manes didn't seem flustered. "I'll be in Slytherin for sure." He wasn't abashed at all, but rather proud.

"My brother says I'll be in Slytherin." Albus said hesitantly.

"You'll be in Gryffindor with the rest of us, Albus." Rose said as she grabbed his hand. "Although I wouldn't mind being put in Ravenclaw…"

"My dad was in Hufflepuff… but he said everyone in his family has been in different houses…"

The train continued on as the scenery changed, and the sun slowly set over the horizon. Even though they had only known each other for a few hours Albus felt a bond to Manes. Something about his shameless personality, and how little he cared about what the other's thought of him, made Albus want to be his friend. Aric was nice, but he seemed to have struck up more of a fondness to Rose's analytical and bookish personality. Manes was who Albus wished he could be, and he thought maybe if they became friends, Albus could learn to be more confident and independent.

A seventh year walked down the train, informing everyone that they were almost at the station, and that they should all change into their robes. After they had put on their robes and black pointed hats, they sat anxiously at the window, trying to get their first glimpse of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Out from behind the trees, the castle appeared in the distance, even more beautiful than they could imagine. Albus tried to stay close to Rose as they tried to find their way to Hagrid as he called all the first years to him. He was happy to see that Manes kept just as close to him as he did to Rose. Aric straggled behind.

"Hiya, Hagrid!" Rose called up to the half-giant.

"Rose! Albus!" he smiled, bending over to pat them on the back. "Finally made it, didncha? Excited?" The two nodded and Hagrid went on the round up the rest of all the first years. Once he was sure he had everyone, he led them down to the lake, where boats sat by the shore. The four clambered into the boat, staring up at the castle. Once all the boats were filled with children, they surged forward magically towards the castle.

As the castle got closer and closer, the fear in Albus' stomach came back with a full vengeance. His dad had said that any house would be lucky to have him, and that they wouldn't be upset if he were to not be sorted into Slytherin, but he still understood the house loyalty that the Potters and the Weasleys have to Gryffindor. He also heard all the awful things that James had said about Slytherins. Albus felt conflicted. If he were to be sorted into Gryffindor, he'd be fulfilling his family's tradition; he'd be with his brother and his cousins. If he were to be Slytherin he'd be labeled an outcast, and he'd never hear the end of it from James, but maybe he could be more than just Harry Potter's son if he were to be sorted somewhere other than Gryffindor. He'd be the first of the Weasley family to be sorted anywhere other than Gryffindor.

The boats went under a cliff, leading to a dock under the school. A tall, dark woman stood smiling as the first years. "Follow me, if you will." and led them up a staircase and through hallways ordained with large portraits that smiled and waved at the students. She came to a stop outside of large double doors. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm Professor Babbling, the deputy headmistress. Shortly you'll be sorted into your Houses, which will dictate where your chambers lay, and whom you'll be taking your classes with over the next seven years. These Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Over the course of the year, you will be able to earn House points with your achievements, and you'll be docked points for your rule breaking. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup. They'll be ready for the sorting in a few sort minutes."

Albus and Rose turned to each other in excitement. "It's really happening!" Albus cried out. "We're really here!" Rose couldn't contain her happiness either as she jumped up and down. Despite his cool demeanor, even Manes couldn't keep a wide smile off his face has he watched the large doors that lead to the Great Hall.

Finally, Professor Babbling smiled to the group. "They're ready for you. Please form a straight line." and opened the doors. Four long tables stretched the length of the large hall, with a long table at the front in which the teachers all sat. The hall was filled with glittering colors, floating candles, and even a few ghosts who floated around, watching the students enter. Albus didn't have nearly enough eyes as he took in everything around him. All of the students sitting at the tables watched the first years walk up to the front of the hall. Victoire smiled and waved at him and Rose as they passed by. He saw Dominique, Louis, Fred, Molly, and James all at the Gryffindor table, cheering them on.

The first years all grouped together as they reached the front of the hall. That's when Albus noticed a blonde boy all by himself, looking nervously up to Professor Babbling. He recognized him as the boy his Uncle Ron had pointed it, a Malfoy. He had heard the horror stories about the Malfoy family, but this boy didn't look mean, prejudiced, or anything of the sort. He looked alone and terrified. But before he could think anything more of the boy, he noticed an old wizard's hat sitting on a stool. It didn't stay still as any ordinary hat would, but its tattered brim opened and it began to sing. Albus couldn't pay attention to the hat's words as he was so excited, but he caught an explanation of the Houses and their attributes, but that was all. Finally the hat froze once again and Professor Babbling cleared her voice, "When I call your name, please come up to the stool to try the hat on for sorting." She unwound a scroll of paper and called, "Aarant, Aric."

Aric seemed flabbergasted at being the first to be sorted, but he trembled up to the stool and sat down as Professor Babbling lowered the hat onto his head. All of the first years held their breath, unsure of what would happen. It had only been a few seconds before the hat yelled out, "Ravenclaw!" and one of the center tables burst into cheers. Aric took off the hat and practically ran to his new House.

That was all there was to it. Slowly the children were sorted into their houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor. But then "Goda, Manes" was called. Manes glanced over to Albus quickly before running up to the stool. The hat had barely touched his head when it called out "Slytherin!" The Slytherin table clapped and cheered. "I told you." He whispered to Albus as he ran over to his table.

Now Albus was worrying. Where did he want to go? The names being called here getting closer and closer to 'P'. He vaguely noticed the Malfoy boy with a weird name get called up to the hat, and gets sorted into Ravenclaw, but he was too nervous to think anything of it at the moment. No matter what he couldn't make up his mind in time. Just as he felt he was going to puke, he heard his name. The hall seemed to have gone eerily quiet, but it was broken by the familiar voice of his cousin, Fred, cheering, "C'MON, ALBUS!" This had the opposite effect of its intentions by making Albus panic even more than before. His whole family was expecting him to be in Gryffindor. Not just his parents and brother, but all his aunts, all his uncles, all his cousins… everyone. He turned around, facing the entire school and sat down on the stood. He felt the hat lower on his head. He had to decide now, or let the hat make the decision for him.

"Ah, a Potter" he heard a voice inside his ear whisper.

"_I want to be in Slytherin_." Albus whispered to himself.

"Slytherin, eh?" the hat whispered. "You really are much unlike your father… but if you insist… SLYTHERIN!" he yelled to the school at large.

Albus was aware of the silence that still filled the room as he handed the hat back to the professor. He heard whispers erupt and saw James' shocked expression. Rose's mouth was agape. Then he heard someone begin to clap happily, and saw Manes standing and cheering. Suddenly the entire Slytherin table burst into the loudest applause yet. Albus quickly found a seat next to Manes, and he could finally feel his heart attempt to maintain a normal rhythm once again.

The sorting continued without Albus' full attention. There was no going back now; he was in Slytherin. He could still see his brother and cousins staring incredulously at him. More boys and girls sat next to him at the Slytherin table, and slowly there were less and less people to be sorted. Finally, it was just Rose and another boy. When Rose's name was called, the hall went dead silence once again, as if everyone was prepared for another Weasley to be sorted into Slytherin. But Rose was sorted into Gryffindor, just has Albus had knew she would.

The feast began when the Headmistress, a short and stout woman named Professor Sprout waved her wand and the golden plates magically filled with food. As Albus filled his plate with food the new first years all introduced themselves. Six new boys and five new girls joined the Slytherin House. Albus, Manes, Callum, Kane, Rhys, and Ezra the boys; Orla, Grace, Sarah, Imogen, and Nyx the girls. Nyx sat across from Albus and Manes, a dark and brooding girl who seemed annoyed by the other girls' catty behavior.

"I can't believe it." She shook her head as she ate her food. "A Potter in Slytherin."

"I know, right?" Manes leaded forward. "But he seems cool, don't you, Al?"

Albus was almost taken aback. No one called him Al. He always hated that nickname, but he couldn't bring himself to correct his new friend. He thought he seemed cool. Albus… cool! Albus smiled shyly, "Wouldn't it be conceited for me to agree?"

A large smile stretched over Nyx's face. "I think I'm going to like you two."

"At least I'll have two friends. I don't think my brother is taking this too well." Albus was looking over at James, who was whispering to his friends, and looking over at Albus with a hurt expression.

"He'll get over it." Nyx smiled some more. "Some people just can't take change, you know?"

The first years all began relaying stories, and trying to get to know one another. Before they knew it, Professor Sprout was standing before them all, explaining the school rules to them all before she dismissed them all to their common rooms. A group of prefects stood up and called the first years to follow them. They were led down the staircases, all of which moved, to the dungeons. The prefects stopped in front of a blank wall. "Flitterby Flounding" one spoke, and the wall opened to reveal a passage. The prefects stood aside to let the first years in first. Everything was green. There were large, leather couches, a dark chandelier hang from the ceiling, and a few skulls sat on the cupboards and desks. Albus couldn't believe his eyes. Everything was so grand and so beautiful.

A male prefect walked forward towards a passage way towards the back of the room. "Boys, follow me up to your rooms." Manes and Albus said their goodbyes to Nyx as they walked through the passage. The prefect stopped at the first door. "As there are six of you, and only 5 to a room, the six of you will be split into two separate rooms, 3 to a room. You're free to choose which room to stay in, but the Head of House would like to stress that he doesn't want you guys changing rooms every month. All of your trunks have been moved into the first room, so you'll have to move them around to the right room." He looked at the boys. "If there aren't any questions. I need to go find my girlfriend."

They could _choose_ their roommates? Callum, Kane, and Ezra, who were best friends since diapers, had already claimed a room for themselves, so Albus, Manes, and Rhys followed them in to drag their trunks and belongings into the second room. The ceiling was low, but five canopy beds reached to the ceiling with thick, draping, dark green curtains. There were even large windows that gave view to under the great lake. Albus sat down on one of the beds closest to window; Manes sat down in the bed right next to his. Rhys looked unsure and moved his trunk to the bed across the room from the two of them.

They talked excitedly for hours, not able to calm down enough to go to bed. After 2 am, Rhys had fallen asleep, and Manes was talking, but his words weren't making sense. Albus pulled open his trunk and found a quill and some parchment, unsure how to write to his parents.

_Dear mum and dad,_

_ I'm here. The train ride went off without a hitch. James didn't sit with me, but Rose did, and I met a guy named Manes. He seemed really excited when he found out who Rose and I were. I saw Hagrid, but we didn't really have any time to talk. I haven't seen Professor Longbottom either. I'll write to you again once classes have started. _

_Love, _

_Albus_

_PS. I was sorted into Slytherin._

He read over the letter, but quickly crumpled it up and threw it away. Instead all he wrote was "_I'm in Slytherin. –A_". He folded the tiny piece of parchment up and sat it on his trunk. He'll try to mail it first thing in the morning. He crawled into his four-poster bed and looked up to the ceiling. He was finally at Hogwarts. And he was a Slytherin.

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><p>Reviews are greatly appreciated :)<p> 


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